


Homecoming

by BeanBunny



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 04:46:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/605969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeanBunny/pseuds/BeanBunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A really quick fic about Shepard seeing her mother over Christmas. Hopefully her mother isn't too surprised by her new boyfriend. Written for Shakarian Sunday on Tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Homecoming

"Oh, my baby girl!"

As soon as Shepard had opened the door, her mother had scooped her up in her arms and squeezed her so tight that she dropped her duffle bag. Her mother had set herself up in a new apartment, and Shepard conveniently had lined up shore leave to match with Christmas, meaning that she got to have something of a homecoming this year.

Providing her mother ever decided to let go of her.

"Mom, I love you, but you're ... I'm having trouble breathing ... "

"Don't be silly," said her mother, "you've been in tighter situations than that, I'm sure." She let go and stepped back. "Let me look at you -- have you been sleeping?"

Shepard began to smile, but screwed her mouth up and flattened out her poker face instead. She was trying not to think of Garrus fussing after her for the same thing.

"You don't look like you've been sleeping," said her mother.

"No, you're right," she replied. "Work's been rough."

"You have to take better care of yourself. Luckily for you, *I'm* going to be doing that for you this weekend. Now get in here and quit standing in the hallway!" She took Shepard by the shoulder and pulled her into the apartment, closing the door behind them.

Shepard looked around. Growing up on ships, she never really had a specific place she thought of as 'home', but she'd have an easy enough time pretending this was a home. She could recognize a few of the pictures her mother kept, as she had framed them and placed them around. Her mother had also hung some of her awards on the living room wall.

After that, her mother had tried to decorate for Christmas. She had put lights up along the walls. Shepard wasn't totally sure they were supposed to be bright purple, but they were nice. She'd hung two stockings by the windows, and draped over the back of the couch was the ugliest fleece blanket you'd ever seen – painfully red with fuzzy orange Christmas bells all over it.

"Looks like you've done pretty well," she said. It was only half a lie.

"I agree! It's not bad, right?" She laughed. "Come sit on the couch. You can put your bag beside the couch for now."

Doing as she was told, she took one end of the couch and bounced a little on it. As her mother took the seat on the couch, she asked, "What's new with you, mom?"

"Just this place!" she laughed. "I don't have many Christmas decorations for it yet, though. You and me will have to go tomorrow and get a tree and stuff." 

"I don't know, it looks like you've got plenty."

"Oh, you're such a minimalist. People stuff their places full of Christmas decorations. Do you like the blanket?” Shepard's mother rubbed her hand over the blanket, but, thankfully, didn't wait for an answer. “I thought it would be more fun if you and I went together to get a tree and stuff." She patted Shepard's knee. "Now, what are you up to? Don't say reapers. I know reapers. Everyone's up to reapers."

Shepard squirmed a bit, then played with her fingers. She told herself that she HAD to tell her mom this weekend. She took a breath. "I've ... I've started seeing someone, I guess that's new."

Her mother's face lit up. She knew that would happen, it had been a long time since she'd dated anyone at all.

Her mother took her hands. "You're kidding! That's wonderful! I need details."

She closed her eyes. It was scary, sure, but it was better to tell her now. "He's ... he's tall."

"Uh huh!"

"And ... " she smiled a little. "He's funny."

"He's handsome, right?"

"He's a turian."

Her mother paused for a moment. "Well, I guess he's not handsome, then. What's his name?"

Shepard couldn't believe -- her mother looked genuinely curious to know his name. It wasn't the reaction she expected.

"Garrus, but ... don't you care?"

"Hmm?"

"I thought you'd be more upset."

"Why?"

She let go of her mother's hands and gestured wildly. "You FOUGHT the turians! You remember? The First Contact War?"

"True, I did. But that was a long time ago. I'm not going to stay mad at an entire race forever, that's stupid."

"Oh.” She sat for a moment, blankly, puzzled. “Good, then."

Her mother laughed. "Sorry to surprise you. When do I get to meet Garbus?"

"Garrus, Mom. He's actually on the Citadel visiting some friends ... he said he'd swing by tomorrow if you didn't, you know, *mind.*"

Shepard's mother smirked. "You told him I might freak out, didn't you."

"Well! You probably would have thought the same thing!"

"Oh, I know I would have." She leaned back. "But I'm old, I'm tired of grudges, and it's Christmas. I'd just rather know if he's good to you and if you like him. So, much money did you lose on that bet?"

Shepard pressed her lips together. "I just owe him a dinner."

 

"I felt bad for telling your mom I didn't want any more dinner tonight, but ... man. She's the kind of lady who knows how to over prepare."

"She's trying to be nice. She doesn't know anything about dextro food." Shepard thought for a moment. "Hell, I'm not sure I know that much about it."

Garrus and Shepard sat huddled together on the couch, watching the simulated fireplace in the dim room. Shepard's mother had retired to her own bed room, but they had decided to stay up just a bit longer. They were sharing the ugly blanket they had on the back of the couch. At least it was warm.

"I'm glad she's okay with us," Shepard went on. "I was nervous."

"I wasn't. But then, everyone loves me."

Shepard nudged him. "Fine. You won my mom over with your dashing good looks and your charm, is that what you want to hear?"

"It's a start." He kissed her on the head. "Is it nice to be home?"

"This isn't really home, but I remember some of the stuff," she said. "The simulated fire place isn't the exact same, but it's what we had on ships." She sighed. "It's great to see Mom again, though. It's REALLY nice to know that you and her hit it off. You know, in case."

"In case what?"

She looked up at him, with that wiggly sort of smile when she was thinking something she wasn't going to say. "In case I keep you around and you get to visit my mom again.”

He nuzzled her. "And why would you keep me around?"

"'Cause you're good at lovin' on me." She nudged his foot. A smile crept across his face, and he nudged back. Their footsie war led to an all out Christmas snugglefest under their shared blanket.


End file.
